Mario Ramos: From Graffiti to “I Bud You” to Conbud

“I’m cannabis in New York. Straight up.” That’s how Mario Ramos describes himself, and few people embody the journey from street hustle to legal cannabis entrepreneurship quite like him. As co-founder of I Bud You and partner in ConBud Bronx, Ramos has become one of the most recognizable faces in New York’s legal cannabis scene, bridging decades of underground experience with legitimate business success in the Bronx.

Ramos’s story begins in the Bronx and Lower East Side during the 1990s. While still serving in the military, he opened a graffiti supply shop on Allen Street in 1996. The store quickly became a cultural hub for local youth, including a young Coss Marte, who would later become his business partner and founder of ConBud. “That shop was their second home,” Ramos recalls. “I used to tell their mothers I should start charging for babysitting.”

Years of involvement in the illegal cannabis trade taught him the game from every angle, cultivation, distribution, and sales. At one point, he claims to have moved up to $90,000 a day. But the life came with heavy risks. In 2017, after returning from California where he honed his growing skills, Ramos was arrested and charged with conspiracy to operate a CDS facility. “I was consulting a grow that had hopes of being first in line for a license, that’s when we got hit. Detectives rolled in and ultimately took 6 years of my life because I was charged with conspiracy to operate a CDS facility.”

When New York legalized recreational cannabis, Ramos reconnected with Coss Marte. Their shared history and complementary skill sets made them natural partners. In 2024, they opened ConBud Bronx, ConBud’s third location, just one block from where Ramos graduated from All Hallows High School. The site holds deep personal meaning for him, it’s where he first smoked weed and bought his first chain necklace as a teenager.

Today, Ramos brings that same street-level expertise to product curation. “If I say it’s fire, it’s fire,” he says. He works directly with farmers to ensure quality and maintains high standards for what makes it onto the shelves. The diverse clientele at the Bronx location reflects the real New York, locals, tourists, and people from all walks of life coming together in a legal, safe environment.

ConBud Bronx isn’t just another dispensary. It represents legacy meeting legitimacy. From graffiti artist and underground operator to licensed cannabis entrepreneur, Mario Ramos has come full circle. His journey mirrors the evolution of the entire industry, from the shadows into the light, while never forgetting where it all started.

By Mary Townsend